Coaxial switch with plurality of contacting fingers



y 1950 F. c.- BLANCHA 2,505,939

COAXIAL SWITCH WITH PLURALITY OF CONTACTING FINGERS Filed April 5, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l i I l. a

Felix 4151012050 May 2, 1950 F. c. BLANCHA 2,505,939

COAXIAL SWITCH WITH PLURALITY OF CONTACTING FINGERS Filed April 5, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2, 1950 COAXIAL SWITCH WITH PLURALITY F CONTACTING FINGERS Felix C. Blancha,

Havertown, Pa., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation oi Delaware Application April 5, 1947, Serial No. 739,549

9 Claims.

The present invention particularly relates to a switch adapted to selectively short circuit or open circuit a coaxial transmission line.

An object of the present invention is to provide a switch mechanism by means of which a coaxial transmission line may be efiectively shorted.

An object of the present invention is to provide a switch mechanism as aforesaid which introduces minimum electrical discontinuities in the transmission line impedance when the shorting mechanism is in the open position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial transmission line shorting switch which may be readily operated by remote control.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial transmission line shorting switch including supervisory means for positively indicating, at a remote control point, the operation of the switch.

The foregoing objects and others which may appear from the following detailed description are attained by providing a switch mechanism containing a plurality of iris-like shorting blades which in the open position are substantially flush with the inner surface of the outer conductor of the transmission line and in the shorting position present substantially a complete barrier across the transmission line. The shorting blades are arranged to be selectively operated into their open and closed positions by remotely energized solenoids.

The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description which is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Figure 1 illustrates in elevation and partly in section an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1, the section being taken along line 2, 2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the latching mechanism of the switch taken along lin 3, 3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in Figure 2 in section a pair of transmission lines II and in coaxial alignment. Transmission line lliincludes an outer tubular conductor H and ,an inner coaxially arranged tubular conductor I2 while transmission line 20 includes an outer tubular conductor 2| and an inner tubular conductor 22. The outer conductors H and 2| are secured to the main switch body 3| by means of flanges l3 and 23 respectively. The inner conductors l2 and 22 are electrically connected togather and maintained in alignment by a pair of half-round plug sections 32 and 33 which are expanded against the interior walls of conductors l2 and 22 by means of expansion screws 34. The half-round sections 32 and 33 also serve as a contact surface for the shorting blades 40. The main switch body 3| carries stud shafts 50 on which are pivoted the shorting blades 40. Shorting blades 40' at their outer ends are forked to engage pins 5! carried by'operating ring 53. The operating ring may rotate in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction, this rotation being performed by operation of solenoid plungers 62 and 64 operating against lugs 54 and 55. As the operating ring 53 is rotated, for example, in a counter-clockwise direction by the pressure of solenoid plunger 64 pins 5! move in a counterclockwise direction. The ends of contact members 40 are thus urged to move in a counterclockwise direction causing the contact members to be moved from a position flush with the inside walls of outer conductors H and 21 until they contact the inner conductor half-round sections 32 and 33. Similarly if solenoid plunger 62 is operated, the operating ring 53 is moved in a clockwise direction and the contact fingers recede from the inner conductor to a position flush with the interior surface of outer tubular conductor members It and 2|. The solenoid armatures B2 and 64 are actuated by momentarily energized solenoids l2 and 74. Solenoid 12 is shown in section whereby the interior construction thereof may be readily ascertained. The solenoid armature 62 is composed of two parts in coaxial alignment and securely fastened together, the upper part 63 is of some non-magnetic material such as brass while the lower portion 65 is of magnetic material such as steel or iron. The lower member 65 is preferably laminated if the solehold 72 is to be operated by alternate current. The solenoid 12 is preferably surrounded by laminated magnetic shell 13 whereby the efiective pull of the solenoid is increased. As solenoid 12 is energized, it will b apparent that the magnetic portion 65 of the armature 62 will tend to be pulled further into the solenoid 12, thus pressing plug 54 upwardly and rotating the operating ring 53 in a clockwise direction.

In order to lock the operating ring and thus the switch in the open and closed circuit positions, latches are provided. The latch construction is shown more in detail in section in Figure 3. It will be seen that the latch mechanism includes an L-shaped member 80 pivoted in a slot in lug 54. The spring 8| urges the L-shaped member II! in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 3. Thus, the locking portion 82 or L-shaped member 80 is caused to engage with latch plate 85 secured to the main body plate 3 l When the solenoid armature 62 is pressed upwardly by the energizetion of solenoid i2 the L-shaped member 80 is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction against the pressure of spring 8! and the locking portion .2 disengages latch plate 85, thus allowing the operating ring 53 to be rotated in a clockwise direction. As the same time a similar latch provided in operating lug 55 and engaging with solenoid armature 64 is caused to ride up over another latch plate 85 until its locking portion 82 catches below the square shoulder of the latch plate 85, thus locking the switch in its closed position. The upper ends of armatures 62 and 64 are provided with adjusting screws to and locknuts 81 whereby the eflective length of the operating stroke may be adjusted.

If desired, a monitoring switch 90 may be provided. This is operated by lugs 98 and 92 on the actuating ring 53. Thus, as the switch is operated to short circuit the coaxial line section lug it operates switch 90 to control a supervisory circuit to light a lamp or to give some other supervisory indication at the remote operating point. For convenience in connecting the operating and supervisory circuits, a terminal block I08 may be provided. The connection from the solenoid windings and the monitoring switch to the terminal block have not been indicated since such connections may be arranged as desired.

While I have illustrated a particular embodiment of the present invention, it should be clearly understood that it is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made in the several elements employed and in their arrangement and it is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

i. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, and means coupled to said conductive body for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member in another position.

2. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer, conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a conductive member in contact with said inner conductor,. an actuating ring for ro tating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member about a plurality of points around its circumference, said actuating ring having an operating lug thereon and means to selectively rotate the actuating ring in opposite directions.

3. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery'as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, said fingers each having a forked outer end, an actuating ring having stud members thereon in engagementwith said forked outer ends for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive memher about a plurality or points around its circumference.

d. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, said fingers each having a forked outer end, an actuating ring having stud members thereon in engagement with said forked outer ends for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member about a plurality of points around its circumference, said actuating ring having an operating lug thereon and means to selectively rotate the actuating ring in opposite directions.

5. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a split cylindrical conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, an actuating ring for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member at a plurality of points around its circumference, said actuating ring having a number of operating lugs thereon, means to selectively rotate said actuating ring in opposite directions by pressure against said operating lugs, and latch members for maintaining said actuating ring at its extreme limits oi travel.

6. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, latch plates on said conductive body, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphcry as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a cylindrical conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, an actuatingmlng for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member at a plurality of points about its circumference, said actuating ring having a number of operating lugs thereon,

means to selectively rotate said actuating ring in opposite directions by pressure on said operating lugs, latch plates aihxed to said body, and latch members for maintaining said actuating ring at its extreme limits of travel, said latch members being adapted to engage said latch plates on said body.

7. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact ers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conduster, a conductive member having an end inserted in a portion of said inner conductor to be in contact therewith, an actuating ring for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member at a plurality of points around its circumference, an actuating ring having a number of actuating lugs thereon, means to selectively rotate said actuating ring in opposite directions by presure against said actuating lugs, a latch member for maintaining said actuating ring at its extreme limits of travel, and an operating member cooperating with said lugs and actuated by movement of said ring in each direction to change the position of said contact fingers,

8. A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, an actuating ring for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member at a plurality of points around its circumference, and solenoid armatures and energizing coils each so placed as to selectively rotate said actuating ring in opposite directions.

9, A shorting switch for use across a coaxial transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor including a conductive body connected to said outer conductor, a plurality of contact fingers pivoted to said conductive body and lying in one position in substantially the same periphery as the inner surface of said outer conductor, a conductive member in contact with said inner conductor, an actuating ring for rotating said fingers about their pivots so that they contact said conductive member at a plurality of points around its circumference, means to selectively rotate said actuating ring in opposite directions, and a latch member for maintaining said actuat-, ing ring at its extreme limits of travel.

FELIX C. BLANCHA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 552,756 Gorn Jan. 7, 1896 784,022 Askew Mar. 7, 1905 852,690 Wright May 7, 1907 2,235,010 Chaffee Mar. 18, 1941 2,379,047 Thomas June 26, 1945 2,427,940 Ayres Sept. 23, 1947 

